Raise PMGSY allocation to Rs 1, 800 cr, Odisha govt urges Centre

The Odisha government today urged the Centre to raise the allocation under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) for the state to Rs 1800 crore for the current fiscal.

In a letter to prime minister Narendra Modi, chief minister Naveen Patnaik said the Centre had earmarked Rs 1178 crore under PMGSY for Odisha in 2014-15 of which Rs 1051.50 crore had been released.

Out of a total of Rs 17814.24 crore sanctioned by the Rural Development ministry since the inception of PMGSY, Rs 11,982.43 crore had been released and fully spent by the state, so far leaving a balance sanction of Rs 5871.41 crore, Patnaik said. The state had spent Rs 1615 crore under the programme during the 2013-14 fiscal, he added.

“Considering the above, allocation of Rs 1178 crore made during the current fiscal will not be sufficient and need to be enhanced to Rs 1800 crore as the state government has already spent Rs 800 crore out of the released fund,” the chief minister said requesting the prime minister to allocate Rs 1800 crore to the state for the current fiscal and release the balance fund at the earliest for smooth implementation of the programme.